24 Jun 11 —
Chile's National Service of Geology and Mining said on Wednesday that the
volcano had to be kept on red alert because a "cork" of lava at the
Puyehue volcano could lead to another explosion.

Seismic activity has declined, with two tremors of a magnitude of around 2.5
recorded every hour on Tuesday, compared with several hundred of a magnitude of
four or five in the hours preceding the initial June 4 eruption.

If
this continues, "an explosive event remains possible because the path the lava
is taking is obstructed, or because the eruption dynamic has changed," said
SERNAGEOMIN director Enrique Valdivieso.

Several more southern Chilean cities, including Rininahue, Llifen, Futrono,
Villarrica and Pucon, were hit Tuesday by a cascade of fine ash, according to
SERNAGEOMIN.

Meanwhile, with up to 1.5 million sheep and other livestock now forced to graze
on ash-covered pastures, ranchers in southern Argentina's Patagonia were
becoming seriously concerned.